Canyon Campground Closed for 2012 Season

TransAlta has resumed work on the penstock replacement in the Canyon Campground area of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The penstock, constructed in 1955, is leaking at numerous locations along its 1.37 km stretch. The new steel penstock will be buried.

As a result of the project construction, the penstock and surrounding area, including Canyon Campground, will be closed to the public for the duration of the 2012 season. See Kananaskis Trail Report for details.

This leaking penstock will be replaced by a buried steel one. Photo: TransAlta.

I was snow-shoeing around the Penstock Trail two and a bit weeks ago and I could see where the above-ground pipe had been leaking and then the water had frozen all around the pipe. Quite a sight. They already have huge mounds of aggregate down in the trees each side of the Penstock trail, and so I can see why they don’t want anyone in there, as it’s going to be a major construction site. I would have thought that the short section of the Penstock trail across the other side of the Smith-Dorrien would be ok to travel, however. There is a very interesting wooden spillway leading to what 2 weeks ago was a spectacular set of icicles on the hillside at the head of the creek.